The panel was organized by the South Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness.

Liaisons from Valdosta City Schools, Habitat for Humanity and the South Georgia Community Service Board gathered to discuss issues that affect the local homeless population.

The panel says the most critical problem facing the community is the lack of affordable housing for the county's more than 250 men, women and children with no place to call home.

There are just three shelters in Lowndes County to serve them.

"We're getting bigger numbers of people coming in with families that have nowhere to go, nowhere to live." Diane West, of the South Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness. And the biggest shelter that we have, unless there was something like a mental illness or something going on with someone else, we only have the Horizon."

These meetings are held four times a year and are open to the public.
You don't have to represent an agency to attend.

For more info, call the Coalition at 229-293-7301 ext. 3.